[May 10, 2014]HARTSBURG - On May 2, 2014,
Hartsburg-Emden Junior/Senior High School hosted the Hartsburg-Emden
Fine Arts Festival. The event hosted in the high school gymnasium
featured musical performances, artwork displays, dance routines, and
voice improvisations by the many talented 5th - 12th grade students.

The darkened gym and period table decorations provided a jazz
club atmosphere. Decorator Kim Escobedo, mother of performer Lillian
Escobedo described the atmosphere as ”very classy.”

Attendees entering the school viewed various pieces of artwork by
Alicia Clark, Erica Wolpert, Megan Neikirk, and Tyson Andrade.
Artwork included paintings, drawings and nature photographs.

The audience was seated around the decorated tables or in the
bleachers, and treated to performances by many talented students
under the direction of band instructor Cody Sheldon and music
instructor Rachel Jordan. The high school band opened, performing
“Georgia on My Mind.” Other instrumental performances by the 5th
grade band, the 6th and 7th grade band, and the high school band
included “Shadows in the House,” “Power Rock,” and “Eye of the
Tiger.”

The 5th grade chorus, Junior High School chorus, and High School
choir sang the well-known and loved “Follow the Yellow Brick Road”
and “Over the Rainbow,” and more recent songs, “Do you Want to Build
a Snowman?” and “Let it Go” from the movie “Frozen,” and oldies
“Sh-Boom” and “Day-O.” The High School choir brought the evening to
a close with the classic from “The Sound of Music,” “So Long,
Farewell.”

The evening also featured various other highlights:

Small group ensembles presented various classical pieces
with Olivia Garcia, Lily Escobedo and Zoi Dunse playing in a
clarinet trio; Austin Hayes, Samantha Perschal, and Nathan
McAfee playing in a trombone trio; Spencer Davis, Evan Rohlfs
and Mayci Maaks playing in a trumpet trio; Anna Hayes, Lexi
Barry and Tim Lingle playing in an alto saxophone trio.

Joe Garcia’s piano solo was a medley of popular songs.

Madelyn Thomas and Dustin Woolard offered a vocal duet.

Madelyn Thomas sang an original composition with Jonathan
Thomas accompanying on the guitar.

The speech team featured improvisational duets by Matthew
Nowatney and Spencer Davis, Payge McCree and Baylee Baker, Seth
Evans and Zach Zimmerman, and Lily Escobedo and Zoi Dunse.

Seniors Alicia Clark and Megan Neikirk were recognized for
eight years of participation in the music programs.

Music teachers Cody Sheldon and Rachel Jordan lauded the
students for all their hard work this year, commenting that in a
small school that has just a handful of students in the band and
choruses, the students have to work extra hard. For instance,
Dustin Woolard said that he and Madelyn Thomas experienced
technical difficulties with the original song they practiced, so
they performed a song they only had two days to practice and
said that though he was initially nervous, he gained comfort and
felt that they “hit it out of the ballpark.”

District principal Terry Wisniewski, observing that this year was
the first time for the Fine Arts Festival, noted that “the set up
and variety is very good.” He also said, “Mr. Sheldon is doing a
great job in his first year. He and Rachel Jordan make a great
team.”

Janell Woolard, mother of Hartem junior Dustin Woolard said,
“When I first approached Mr. Cody Sheldon with this idea in the
Fall, it was for the purpose to truly give our youngsters in the
Fine Arts a great venue to showcase their incredible talents. And I
believe that is exactly what we did on Friday night. We gave them
the spotlight, literally, and they are most deserving. We wanted a
"lounge feel" for the atmosphere so people could sit back and truly
enjoy it. We wanted this to be more than a spring concert, we wanted
this to be a complete experience.”

Doris Last, a foster grandparent for the school who came out to
support the musical program said she thought it was “excellent,”
saying “it shows what a small school with many talented performers
can do.”

Carrie Nowatney, director of last year’s plays and mother of
performer Matthew Nowatney, echoed these sentiments by saying, “I am
extremely pleased with the novel approach that was taken to present
the Hartem Fine Arts program. You could tell the students were
enjoying what they were doing, and the variety of art forms
presented was very refreshing. Hartem is best known for its FFA and
sports programs, but our students also possess amazing musical,
artistic and dramatic talents. It was wonderful to see our school
providing a ‘platform’ for the arts and the many talents of our
students to be displayed.”